Chapter 165
It was not entirely due to Luca Traverse's own personality that he became an outsider.
Of course, that accounted for a large part, but the circumstances were just as unfortunate.
If his older brother, Wylde Traverse, had been a bit more proactive.
If his mother, Merian Traverse, had remained with the family.
Or even if the family members had just reached out to him a little more.
If even one of these had come true, the boy named Luca Traverse would not have become this way.
"......"
Luca Traverse fell silent.
He, too, was confused.
His mind went blank at the sense of disparity between his memories.
"Master?"
"!"
At Bella's call, Luca snapped out of his thoughts.
She spoke with a worried expression.
"Are you alright?"
"...... I'm fine."
Luca replied indifferently to her concern.
Even though his mind was complicated, nothing would be solved by mere contemplation.
Wylde, watching Luca, also spoke with a slightly worried tone.
"Are you carsick?"
"As if that would happen."
Bella answered firmly, as if the thought was absurd.
Luca also gave a slight smile.
"If I was so prone to carsickness, I would have fainted already back in the South."
"Is that so. I was worried maybe I talked too much."
Luca and the inner Luca Traverse fell silent, seeing how he expressed his worry so nonchalantly.
-......
Luca felt affection in Wylde towards him.
A feeling completely different from the Wylde in his memories.
'... Come to think of it, the masked swordsman Willow also took his name from both himself and Luca Traverse, didn't he?'
The way Wylde insisted on talking more about Luca when he spoke of losing his family.
And considering Willow (WyLu) was created from both their names, it was clear he, too, cherished Luca a great deal.
'Was this also one of Demonz's tricks?'
The story was so absurd that Luca wondered about this.
-......
The inner Luca Traverse could only remain silent.
'Tsk. So even what happened to my parents was just due to unfortunate circumstances?'
Luca thought such things as he looked at the worried Wylde.
"There is no problem, so please don't worry."
"Is that so."
Wylde's response was a little ambiguous.
Watching him, Luca spoke indifferently.
"By the way, what are the Busters? Since Ottbo knows about them, they must be quite famous."
"...... Hmm."
Wylde groaned at his question.
Then he lowered his head slightly.
"It's an embarrassing story."
"Is it something you can't tell me?"
"It's not that, but... hmm......"
Wylde's expression rarely gave away his emotions, but it was obvious at a glance.
He was embarrassed.
Bella stifled a laugh.
"My, I get to see quite a surprising side of the young master today."
"Huu. I guess I can't avoid it. The Busters are a crew that was formed when I was a first year."
Wylde let out a deep sigh and began to explain about the Busters.
Roughly, when he was a first year, he got involved in some incident, and while handling it, he ended up saving Mika, Dread, Malcolm, and 'Hayes' and they became friends.
After handling several problems connected to that initial incident, they were branded as troublemakers, so they decided they might as well fully embrace that image and called themselves the Busters, which made them famous.
"There were all sorts of things... But after we beat some troublemakers from Lamata Academy, an excited Mika shouted, 'Our name is Busters! The academy's finest delinquents!'—and that became famous."
"Wow... that person......"
"He pretends to be calm and dignified, but he causes the most trouble out of all of us."
Luca had to restrain himself from pointing out that even the usually composed eldest brother did a Mika impersonation.
Wylde seemed embarrassed enough already.
"Fufu. For the young master to talk like that... I really am seeing many unexpected things today."
"What... Ah......"
Only then did Wylde realize he'd just done a Mika impersonation, and let out a sigh, lowering his head.
Was it his imagination that Wylde's face was slightly tinged with red?
Seeing that, Luca smiled wryly.
"That's really unexpected."
"...... Forget it."
Wylde could only be embarrassed.
***
The journey to the Traverse territory took three days, so they had to stay at different inns along the way.
Still, most estates in the central region were large and had good inns.
Luca's party ended up staying at a rather nice one for a rest.
"......"
During the break, Luca—or rather, Luca Traverse—was gazing out the window with a complicated expression.
Bella approached him.
"Master, what are you thinking about?"
"......"
Luca Traverse glanced briefly at Bella, then turned to look out the window again.
She quietly sidled up to him, standing by his side.
"Was the real young master too different from what you expected?"
"......"
Luca Traverse still did not answer.
Then, inside, Luca whispered.
― You're going to stay silent even now?
"......"
Luca Traverse pursed his lips and looked at Bella out of the corner of his eye.
Bella was gazing up at the night sky outside the window, her gaze dreamy and wistful.
"The night sky always feels new to me, no matter how many times I see it."
"... Is that so."
Luca Traverse barely managed a word.
Seeing this, Bella chuckled quietly.
"It's been a while since we talked, master."
"... What do you mean?"
At her curious words, Luca Traverse asked indifferently.
Bella met his gaze and said,
"Isn't this the first time since the Founding Festival?"
"......"
-?
The first time since the Founding Festival.
Both Luca Traverse and the Luca within were caught off guard.
― Don't tell me... does Bella know the difference between you and me?
"......"
He had always thought there was a subtle difference in Bella's attitude when Luca Traverse appeared, but he never imagined she could distinguish them so perfectly.
As both Lucas were struck by surprise, Bella chuckled softly.
"At first I wasn't sure, but the current master's eyes and way of speaking are slightly different from before. Maybe others can't tell, but I, Bella, can."
"Huh."
"Even now, if it were the old master, you'd have sighed, then added another comment."
Bella pointed out Luca Traverse's sigh.
He went silent.
Looking at him, Bella gave a faint smile.
"So, what brings you here? The old master."
"......"
Luca Traverse went silent. Or rather, he tried to.
― You're going to stay silent even now?
The words Luca had said earlier stabbed at his heart.
In the end, Luca Traverse spoke up about what had been weighing on him.
"...... Are you at least somewhat satisfied with who I am now?"
"Hmm... some-what."
Watching Bella answer with a smile, the Luca inside pouted his lips.
― Hah, that's a bit much.
"......"
But Luca Traverse seemed to find the answer not so bad.
Bella giggled at him.
"But I'm glad. Honestly, after the master changed, I thought I'd never see the old master again."
"Is that so."
Muttering this, Luca Traverse looked Bella in the eyes.
And he barely managed to say the words he should have said before all this.
"I'm sorry."
"!"
Bella's eyes trembled slightly.
To Bella, who treasured him like her own child.
To Bella, who would have felt sorry for not being able to ease his pain—there is no way to describe the weight of those words.
"Tsk, to say that and then run away... What a coward."
After saying that, Luca Traverse retreated inward as if running away.
The forcibly brought-out Luca pouted.
Then he sneaked a look at Bella.
"...... Do you need a handkerchief or anything?"
"Fufu. Of course not."
Before he knew it, Bella had turned away.
She didn't show her face as she slowly left the room.
"Old master—whether you're listening or not... this Bella is truly fine, so please don't worry."
"Huh. I wish the two of you would stop making me the intermediary."
Bella looked over her shoulder at Luca as he pouted, and chuckled.
"Thank you, current master."
"...... Don't mention it."
Her eyes sparkled like starlight.
***
After the night when Luca Traverse unburdened his heart, two more days had passed.
The auto-carriage finally arrived at the Traverse family mansion inside the Traverse territory.
"It's been a while since I've been here, I think."
"Fufu. Indeed."
Luca felt a strange nostalgia as he walked towards the mansion, then paused.
"......"
Someone was standing in the hall just inside the entrance.
Wylde, coming in behind him, glanced at the man and spoke in a neutral tone.
"It's been a while, father."
"It's been a while, both of you."
"......"
Luca licked his lips slightly, looking at the man in front of him.
A build similar to Wylde.
Hair of dark green, the characteristic color of the Traverse family.
His eye color, however, was a deep brown, quite different from Luca and Wylde's.
A somewhat rugged but virile face.
Just standing still, he exuded a weighty pressure.
The current head of the Traverse family, malox Traverse.
He had returned to the family mansion after a long absence.
"I pay my respects to the head of the Traverse family."
Luca bowed slightly in courtesy.
Malox was silent for a moment, then spoke indifferently.
"There's no need for such formality. Do as your brother does."
"I cannot behave the same as the young head."
"... What does he mean by that, Wylde?"
Malox narrowed his eyes at Wylde, prompted by Luca's response.
Wylde shook his head slowly.
"I believe there is some misunderstanding because the household has begun calling me the young head. I've pointed it out many times, but it seems difficult to correct."
"... Luca. The young head of the Traverse family has not yet been decided, nor does anyone know who it will be. So please don't say things like that."
"......"
Malox spoke firmly.
Luca inwardly clicked his tongue at Malox's reaction.
'See? Even your thoughts about your father were mistaken.'
-......
One of Luca Traverse's paranoias had been that his parents had no interest in him.
Now, seeing Malox's response, that too seemed a mistake.
As Luca Traverse fell silent, Luca inwardly clicked his tongue again and bowed to Malox.
"I apologize for overstepping."
"... There's no need to apologize. It's my fault for being away so long and not making things clear. I'll explain it to all the household members this time so there are no more misunderstandings."
Malox, looking slightly flustered, spoke cautiously.
He was a blunt but loving father, and Luca could only laugh inside.
"Thank you."
"Oh my! Luca! Wylde!"
"?"
Just then, a somewhat high-pitched voice rang out beside them.
When Luca looked blankly at the source, someone was already hugging both him and Wylde.
Wham!
"!"
"It's been so long! My babies!"
Luca looked at the woman who was hugging him tight.
Light golden hair, unlike the Traverse family's colors.
A face somewhat similar to Luca's.
And, most notably, clear blue transparent eyes.
It was their mother, Merian Traverse.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Misunderstanding indeed..
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】